title: Cardiac tamponade produced by a loculated pericardial hematoma simulating a right atrial mass.
abstract: We report a case of cardiac tamponade due to thrombosis of a loculated pericardial effusion which occurred after open heart surgery. The loculated hematoma was highly echogenic and mimicked a right atrial mass. Cross-sectional echocardiography, in association with color Doppler flow imaging, was extremely useful in identifying this rare complication of cardiac surgery and, therefore, in determining the subsequent surgical approach.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Cardiologia dell'Università degli Studi, Istituto Ricerche Cardiovascolari G. Sisini, Fondazione I. Monzino, Centro Ricerche Cardiovascolari del C.N.R., Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pepi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Doria
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fiorentini
mesh_terms: D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects; D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006406:Hematoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010490:Pericardial Effusion / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014463:Ultrasonography